[Launch Alert] Saturday Launch

Fri, 10 Jan 2003 05:42:32 -0800

	    ASTRONOMY/SPACE ALERT FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

			    Brian Webb, KD6NRP
			Ventura County, California
			E-mail: [email protected]
		Web Site: http://home.earthlink.net/~kd6nrp

						2003 January 11 (Friday) 05:40 PST
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				SATURDAY ROCKET LAUNCH

A Delta II rocket with two scientific satellites is scheduled for
launch from Vandenberg AFB tomorrow (Saturday January 11th). Lift-off
is set for 16:45 PST, the start of a 45-minute launch window. If all
goes well the ICESat and CHIPSat satellites will be placed into
orbit.

At lift-off the Sun will be above the horizon for observers in most of
California. However, this will be an evening twilight launch for
Arizona, Nevada, and Utah.

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			COUNTDOWN STATUS

The best source of countdown status for the Delta II/ICESat/CHIPSat
launch is the Spaceflight Now web site. Space journalist Justin Ray is
now providing current countdown status on a web page devoted to this
launch. Point your browser to:

	http://www.spaceflightnow.com/delta/d294/status.html

On launch day, this page will be updated frequently beginning at about
T-1 hour. Be sure to regularly hit the refresh button on your browser
to see the latest information.

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